To tell the truth, it surprises me how the Aruanis had also been Touken shippers, it's like, our tastes lie in a guy who seems to be soft with his wife, but also a little shit and who seeks to do everything alone and a girl who has a difficult past, who just wants to have a peaceful life, protect those she loves and deep down she is sweet.
In the end we all love the same trope, I love the fandom so much
AAAAHHHHH YES YES YES YES 300000000%!!!
I still haven't gotten around to making that comparison meta (one of these days...) BUT YES TOUKEN AND ARUANI ARE SUCH PARALLELS!!! It's no wonder Toukens are Aruanis and vice versa.
It's the dynamic and chemistry between them! Annie's entire personality & outlook on life + her issues stem from the way she's lived her life so far = Orphaned, selfish abusive foster dad, and used as a weapon to do things she never wanted to. Touka too, orphaned when young, has a nihilistic, cruel outlook on life because as ghouls its survival or immediate death. Both of them have a purpose they try desperately to achieve at any cost. Survival, for different reasons, but survival nonetheless. Yet both of them are kind and caring deep inside, and become very attached to the only people in their lives (Armin and Kaneki) who show terrific compassion, understanding and kindness toward them, despite their cold exteriors (that they see through pretty easily).
Meanwhile Armin's self-hatred, survivor's guilt, and the terror of turning into something he never wanted to be, among others, are excellent mirrors to Kaneki's own issues. They both struggle to stay upright while facing insecurities, weaknesses, shame, and shouldering massive burdens. Both of them embody understanding and are extremely kind, while also being able to turn into the monsters they hold within to do what has to be done. As such they are both drawn immediately to these two girls, who save them, who spare their lives, who show them care in their silent ways - but they understand, even without words.
Moving on to the fun stuff : look at how they both effortlessly make their girls fall in love with them!
Both Armin and Kaneki are soft, shy, blushing baby boys, stuttering and stammering left and right - but do not hesitate to take charge when things get serious! Both Touka and Annie are dangerous, lethally strong, with "do not fuck with me" BAMF energies, but secretly just sad wet kittens dying for affection and love and other things from their boys. It is just so, so sweet, and that's why they work together SO WELL; there is just SO MUCH to unpack between them, so it goes without saying that the chemistry is just *chef's kiss*.
